Dream Catch Me (Student/Teacher)

Dream Catch Me - Chapter Fifty (Joe's POV)

I drove around in my car taking wrong turns down unfamiliar roads, and one thought running through my head: Was I crazy? I mean think about it, here I was acting on a whim with no real evidence, trying to find Jane because someone kept touching their neck? Because someone had complained about an incident that didn't sit right with me? Who was I to go off this lack of evidence simply because it made sense in my screwed up head. 

I glanced down to the addresses scribbled on my hand and recalled how crazy I had been as I was writing them. But it had made sense then. I debated heavily in my head, taking more wrong turns until I decided it was worth a try. What harm could it do? 

I took another wrong turn, not knowing where exactly I was, but suddenly found myself on the right street of James Darning's house. I searched the numbers on the street until I came across '14' where I pulled over and turned my engine off. From my car I peered out the windows at the house, noting that there was no garage attached to the house, only a small car port that housed one car. It's number plate was 'RCERBY' which I knew would be James' as he constantly boasted about drag racing in all of my classes.

I sighed, noting that it was unlikely that it was James who had Jane. I ducked down as suddenly a car came up from behind me and pulled into the driveway, and out came his parents. I had met them before in an interview about his behaviour, and they seemed like nice people. But it wasn't their car that had the number plate GNG467. I punched the steering wheel of my car in frustration. Knowing that James couldn't have Jane, it only left me two more chances.

There would be more chances, it was only a matter of time and searching before I would find her. I started my car up again as James' parent both walked inside hand in hand. If I weren't in a fury, it would've been something I would've smiled at. I drove off. 

I found my way around town and started heading off to Kyle Sander's house, while thinking of Jane. I picture her and I walking into our house together, hand in hand and staring at each other as if there was nothing else in the world. We'd open the door to our house and kick off our shoes while we entered the kitchen to prepare dinner. I'd make her favourite meal and we'd sit down in the lounge together as we warmed our feet up on the fire and snuggled close to each other.

Afterwards I'd clear away the dishes, insisting she stayed put on the ouch. And then we'd watch a movie, my favourite because she said I cleaned away the dishes and made a delicious meal. After the movie I'd carry her up to our bedroom and we'd fall asleep in our bed with my arm around her waist, making sure she didn't go anywhere while we slept. And then we'd wake up and do the same over and over again, in our eternal bubble of happiness. 

I sighed again and gripped the steering wheel hard as a wave of pain rushed over me. Being away from Jane was awful and if I knew what was happening to her now, I'd wish I was in her place just to keep her safe.

I took a sharp right into Kyle Sander's street and like before I searched the right side of his street for the house number. I came across '13' and was sure it was an omen. 13 was an unlucky number wasn't it? Friday the thirteenth, black Friday? Like Jame's house I pulled up to the front and scoured the house for cars. A navy blue car sat in front of the house, the style an old lady would drive; compact and 'cute'. 

I turned around in my seat and looked behind me for any cars and to the front of his house to see if there was a garage where a car could be stored. I followed the path of the driveway and saw it lead to the back of the house. I growled in frustration but unclasped my seat belt to exit the car. Before I did so, I grabbed the hoodie I had stored in the back of my car and threw it over my head, pulling the hood over to mask my face if I got caught. 

I walked down the street a little until I was at his driveway. There was no way in telling if Kyle or his family were home so I did the most logical thing. I ran. I sprinted as fast as I could while still keeping my hood on my head. I got to the edge of the house before the driveway turned the corner and peeked around the side of the house to see if anyway was around. The coast was clear and I stealthily jogged around the corner to find the end of the driveway. Another car port stood in the back of their house and held one car. 

My heart jumped at the sight of the black car, and I was convinced it was the car I had seen. I squinted from a far distance to see the number plate and my stopped skipping and squeezed. GNP459. No luck. Once again I felt like I wanted to punch something, but to stop me getting caught I ran back to my car with my hood up and slipped into the driver's seat. 

I looked around nervously but no one was in sight that could've seen me run. I'll admit I wasn't the stealthiest of people, so having no witnesses was a good thing. I pulled away from his house before I was caught by a nosy neighbour and aimlessly drove around as I began to get more and more worked up. Two failures and no closer to finding Jane, I berated myself. 

There was only one house left on the list, and either way I knew it wouldn't turn up good results. If Jane was there it was bad because it was my colleague's house, and if not then I was stuck back at square one again and no closer. 

I followed the directions I knew from memory and found myself sitting in my car in front of Christopher Lewis' house. It was a reasonably normal house with a white picket fence and a perfectly manicured lawn. I inspected his roses from where I sat and wondered how he had enough time to keep them perfect. Christopher had a garage attached to the front of his house, and no doubt his car was in there. I stepped out of the car and leaned against it, staring up at the house. I coudn't see any movement from the windows and I wondered how I was going to see if it was his car or not. Perhaps I could sit here all night and wait for him to come out? I pondered and looked inside my car to determine if it was comfortable enough. 

I put my head in my hands and questioned if I was crazy or not again. There were two sides inside me that were fighting intensely. One side was telling me I was crazy, that Christopher could never take Jane; he may be a gangster and a criminal but would be stoop so low? Then the other side was telling me yes. He was the one who encouraged young people to 'rob and rape' as he said to join the gang.

It was a full on war inside my head, and I was distracted from my focusing on my surroundings. A noise erupted from somewhere I didn't know, but my lack of attention had fooled me into believing I had made it up in my head. I strained my ears to see if it came again, but I stood there against my car listening for that noise again for another five minutes that seemed like an hour. 

As I went to give up and return into my car, the sound came again. It was a short and high pitched sound that resembled a scream. I followed it's direction and heard it coming from the house in front of me. Was Christopher getting down with his new girlfriend?

Or was his new girlfriend really Jane?

And then it clicked.

And I ran.